Signboard

ABSTRACT

A signboard apparatus is disclosed comprising a plurality of clip members ( 6, 8 ) onto which panels ( 20, 22 ) are removably attached. The clip members have a curved panel engaging surface for engaging the lip of a panel in snap-fit engagement.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a signboard and component parts thereof.

2. Related Art

Signboards have been proposed in which a plurality of panels bearinginformation can be attached to a surface by engagement of the panelswith respective retaining clips connected to the surface.

The clips include resilient engagement members which deform to engagethe panel in a snap-fit arrangement. The engagement members aresubjected to considerable strain in the engagement process and areconsequently susceptible to failure after few clipping and unclippingoperations.

It is an object of the invention to provide a signboard and componentparts thereof which alleviate this problem.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide a signboard and componentparts thereof which alleviate this problem.

In the described embodiment of the invention, the clip members areeither of generally circular, oval or slightly barrelled form, anarcuate portion of each member forming the panel-engaging surface. Whena panel is clipped to the member, since the engaging surface is ofcurved form, there is only a small area of contact between the panel andthe clip member. This results in a concentration of pressure, so thatrelative deformation of the panel and clip to allow engagement can begreater for the same level of applied force. The construction of thesecomponents can thus be more robust in comparison with the prior art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the invention, will now be described by way of example,with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a strip of clips;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional front view across A—A of FIG. 2 with Panelsattached;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of “B” of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of “C” of FIG. 3 with an additional panel 20attached;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional end view of a panel of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional end view of a clip 8 and rail ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged front view of a panel 22 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of a clip 6 of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sign board comprising two strips 2 ofclips (of which one is shown) which slidably engage a support rail 4. Aplurality of extruded aluminium panels 18, 20, 22 extend between therows of clips and are connected thereto. The clips are formed frominjection moulded plastics material e.g., polyethylene. The clips are oftwo shapes clips 6 and clips 8.

Panels 22 provide signboard dividers, between regions comprisingdifferent kinds of information or different offices for example andsignboard edges, while panels 18, 20 have information provided uponthem.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the strip of clips 2. Clips 6A, 6B, 6C, and 6Dhave oval or barrel shaped heads having curved, preferably arcuatepanel-engaging surfaces 7. Clips 8A, 8B, 8C, 8D, 8E and 8F are circularshaped panel-engaging surfaces 9. The clips 6 and 8 have bores 12 and 16respectively, for fastening the clips to a wall or board by means ofscrews, for example.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the strip of clips 2. A single panel 18 isclipped onto three clips 6A, 6B and 8A. Panels 20 are respectivelyclipped onto each of the clips 8B and 8C. Panels 22 are respectivelyclipped onto each of the clips 6C and 6D.

Grooves 34 are formed in the moulded plastics between each clip providecutting guides so that the strip of clips 2 can be parted accuratelywhen the clips need to be separated. The length of the row of clips 2may thus be varied and the relative position of the two kinds of clip 6,8 changed in accordance with need.

By comparison of FIGS. 2 and 3, it can be seen that the clips are curvednot just in two-dimensions, but also in the third dimension, since eachclip has a curved panel-engaging surface 7 in plan as shown in FIG. 2,this surface also being curved in cross-section as shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the partially engaged panel 20 and clip8E. Engagement is performed by first engaging concave lip 26 of thepanel with side 28 of the clip and then applying pressure to force lip32 over side 36. The edge 32 engages the side 36 almost tangentially,thus concentrating the force applied to the panel and clip, makingrelative deformation of these components, to allow engagement in asnap-fit manner, easier.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the panel 20 clipped onto the clip 8 andthe panel 22 clipped onto the clip 6. The panel 20 is retained by clip 8by the two concave outer edges 26 and 32 being held firmly by the edges28 and 36 respectively.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional front view of the panel 20,showing concave edges 26, 32 in greater detail. The concave edge 26 isof the same or marginally larger radius R as the edge of the clip. Theedge 26 also extends 60° from horizontal, to ensure a firm grip on theclip once attached.

As shown in FIG. 7, the rail 4 has a two longitudinally extendingtriangular grooves 40 in which corresponding formations 42 of the clipsare retained when the clip is slid on to the rail.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of clip 22. The clip 22 has similar concaveedges 44, 48 to panels 20. FIG. 9 shows a clip 6 onto which the panel 22attaches. The clip 6 has convex edges 56, 58. The concave edge 44 clipsonto the convex edge 56 and the concave edge 48 clips onto the convexedge 58.

At each end of the signboard, panel 22 is connected to a clip 6. Limb 60of panel 22 extends over the clip 6 covering this to provide a neatfinish to the end of the signboard. Grooves 50 formed on one or bothsides of the clip 6 are cutting guides so that the strip can be partedaccurately to accommodate limb 60 wherever panel 22 is positioned. Forexample in FIG. 5, the panel 22 is used as a divider and the strip isbroken at 50 and 34, with the intervening portion being removed toaccommodate limb 60.

From the above description on the general features and workingprinciples of the signboard apparatus, it would be obvious to a personskilled in the art that there are many variations and alternativeembodiments that may be used in substitution of the parts of the presentinvention. For example, the clips may be provided individually orconnected with one other, for example, formed a strip as shown,permitting numerous permutations. Furthermore, although the clips havebeen shown with two curved the present invention as illustrated byspecific preferred embodiment described herein and shall be consideredas falling within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A signboard apparatus comprising a plurality ofclip members to which panels are removably attachable in snap-fitengagement, each clip member having a curved panel-engaging surface suchthat it contacts a lip of the panel substantially at a single point whenthe panel is being attached; the plurality of clip members are connectedtogether by being formed together as a single piece; and parting guidesformed between the clips.
 2. A signboard apparatus comprising aplurality of clip members to which panels are removably attachable insnap-fit engagement, each clip member having a curved panel-engagingsurface such that it contacts a lip of the panel substantially at asingle point when the panel is being attached, and a plurality ofpanels, each panel being removably attachable to at least one of theplurality of clip members.
 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, whereinsaid panels are of different sizes.
 4. A signboard comprising aplurality of clip members arranged in spaced pairs, and a plurality ofpanels connectable in snap-fit engagement between spaced pairs of theclip members, the panels having lips, the clip members each having anarcuate panel-engaging surface so shaped that the surface contacts thelip of the panel substantially at a single point when the panel is beingattached.
 5. A signboard as claimed in claim 4, wherein the signboardhas an edge and the plurality of panels includes a first type of panelthat displays information, and a second type of panel that provides adivider between panels of the first type and the edge of the signboard.6. A signboard as claimed in claim 5, wherein the spaced pairs of clipmembers include a first type of clip, and spaced pairs of the first typeof clip are adapted for engagement with the first type of panel, thespaced pairs of clip members include a second type of clip, and spacedpairs of the second type of clip are adapted for engagement with thefirst or the second type of panel.
 7. A signboard as claimed in claim 6,further including a support for the clip members, and wherein: thesecond type of panel includes first and second opposed limbs, the limbshaving inner surfaces which define the lips for engagement with thesecond type of clip members; and one of the limbs extends beyond the lipdefined thereby.
 8. A signboard as claimed in claim 7, wherein thesecond type of clip includes a portion adjacent to the support which isremovable to accommodate the extended limb of the second type of panelafter assembly.
 9. A signboard as claimed in claim 4, wherein at leastone clip member has a circular periphery.
 10. A signboard as claimed inclaim 4, wherein at least one clip member has an oval periphery.
 11. Asignboard as claimed in claim 4, wherein the panel-engaging surface isthree-dimensionally curved.
 12. A signboard as claimed in claim 9,wherein the panel-engaging surface is three-dimensionally curved.
 13. Asignboard as claimed in claim 10, wherein the panel engaging surface isthree-dimensionally curved.
 14. A signboard as claimed in claim 4,wherein the plurality of clip members are connected together.
 15. Asignboard as claimed in claim 4, wherein the said panels are ofdifferent sizes.